


Pillow Talking II

by Gangstertogangster



Category: Luke Cage (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst, Canon Compliant, Domestic, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Older Woman/Younger Man, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-27
Updated: 2019-06-27
Packaged: 2020-05-20 13:54:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19378057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gangstertogangster/pseuds/Gangstertogangster
Summary: There are strongly implied PTSD/alcoholism symptoms in this. I don't know much about either, but I want to give that warning.Shades doesn't know how to fix everything. So he listens as much as he can.





	Pillow Talking II

Hernan noticed she didn't always sleep soundly. Some nights when he lay awake, in her bed, right next to her, he could hear her sniffle. Murmur. She would be sleeping and saying to the air "I'm better than you" or "I don't want it" or "no." Oftentimes it was just "no." He was confused, especially during those first few months when he didn't stay until morning and looked at her tossing and turning and shuddering, not knowing what to do. His girl was suffering, and all he could do was just stand there. If Che had a nightmare in Seagate, he could open up and communicate and Hernan could help to some extent. Here it was different. 

The first time he tried to shake her out of it, he gently rubbed at her shoulder, saying "Baby, wake up, baby, Mariah!" She woke screaming. Then she glared at him, shoved him, demanded he leave. The next day she acted like nothing happened. That night, after sex, she held him extra close, squeezing him like a teddy bear. 

Months in and she wasn't kicking him out of bed. Even if he still got concerned if she was having too bad an episode. He furrowed his brow as he just watched her, his eyes aching with sleep and concern, saying "no no no no no" or shivering or muttering or saying she didn't want it. He knew what she told him, what she wanted from him. 

She'd get up and have a nightcap in the early hours some nights. He tried to direct her towards water. Some nights she'd listen, others, most, she'd give him a side eye and just get up and pour some vodka anyway. He knew homeboys and his own tio Ricardo and his piece of shit dad to drink themselves to sleep. He always gave the side eye to girls and boys who passed out from drinking so much. He didn't ever imagine he'd spend so much time actually worrying for someone near that. 

 

The first time he asked her about it, back at the Harlem's Paradise office, she turned her back to him, refused to speak. When he pried, she yelled at him to go away. 

"What do you want me to do?" He demanded. She froze, took another swig of Belvedere. She looked down at her feet. She looked back up at him, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. 

"I want you to stay, Hernan. Please." He kissed the top of her head. She didn't feel like a cold blooded mob queen and he didn't feel so icy when he held her either. 

"Let me in" he whispered, though his tone had a hint of urgency. 

"STAY." Mariah stared at him with those deep eyes, which were then glistening by that point. 

Hernan nodded, his countenance still tense. He looked at her, watched her face, tears fell down her cheeks. He leaned in and kissed them away. 

"I got you. I got you. I got you." He breathed this incantation into her hair. She shivered, holding him tighter. She batted her eyelashes at him. 

"Say it again" she said, kissing his neck. 

"I got you. I ain't goin' anywhere." 

She straightened her posture, sniffed. "Good" she said curtly. "Come by later." He nodded and departed from the office. 

 

She still muttered and repeated those phrases, the word "no" over and over. She still tossed and turned. He still stayed. Even when she shrugged him free of her body when she was having a particularly bad moment. He asked "should I stay" the first few times. 

In response, she grumbled "unless I tell you to get your ass out of here." 

"I'm here always" he said as he kissed her over and over, their naked bodies hugging. Never in his wildest dreams would he have dreamed of saying that to someone other than Che, outside of a prison cell, in a world where they were both free. He liked to think he knew Mariah. In the meantime he stopped assuming he could guess, even as they were both close as can be.


End file.
